Delpo With a Splint Makes Me a Sad Panda

La Nacion has an interview with Delpo in Buenos Aires. Headlines: he’s taken a complete break from training, is healing and hopes to return for Miami. And there are photos that make me sad.

This is what I picked up from the google translate version:

• The problem is an edema (?) of the ulna (??). So … not tendonitis, then. Unless it’s the same thing. Is there a doctor in the house?
• On medical advice, he’s taken four weeks off with the splint. Next week will be week number four. Doesn’t leave a lot of time to get into playing shape for Miami, which is his likely return.
• In case you were wondering, there’s basically nothing that can be done to get rid of this problem. It’s just chronic and has to be managed.
• He’s cautiously optimistic about the Davis Cup tie with Sweden, noting that Pico (who loves him like a brother, lest we forget) is playing really well at the moment.
• Gives a fairly flat denial to the whole World Cup replacing Davis Cup idea.
• He’s in favour (unlike Boss) of Buenos Aires becoming a hard court tournament.
• He says that he and his team made some variations to his game to try to take the strain off the wrist before the Australian Open. That worked out well, eh?

I am concerned that he’ll rush his recovery and come back too soon. But mainly, I’m just miserable.

Artist’s impression of my emotional state.

Anyway … he’s still adorable. Thanks to my fellow suffering Argy fan Julia at VamosDavid for the link.

Dubai: Comeback Kid

Novak Djokovic had his third consecutive three set come-from-behind win in Dubai today, which according to my hazy maths works out as about ninety thousand cubits of awesome. He beat Marcos Baghdatis 67(2) 63 64. Nole made faces, Baggy lost a shoe, there was extreme net love, it was that kind of fantastic match. That I had to work through.

Luckily other people did watch the match. Step forward, Flatman:

“It was an incredible struggle again,” admitted Djokovic, who will now be looking for revenge over Youzhny after losing to the Russian in the Rotterdam semi-final a fortnight ago. “For the third time in a row I’m fortunate to get through.

“There is no excuse. I’m definitely tired. It’s been a long week, but a final is a final and I have faced this kind of feeling and situation before in my life. It’s ups and downs, and it shouldn’t be happening at this level. Now I’m just focused on the fact I’ve never defended a title before. I want to do it now.” [...]

The Cypriot, so entertaining when he reached the Australian Open as a rank outsider four years ago, has been plagued by injuries since. He is determined to recapture a place in the sport’s elite yet clearly has a problem with his concentration.

Repeatedly he engaged Djokovic in long rallys and seemed to have the point won only to slam a basic unforced error either into the net or wide of the court. “I just don’t know what is going on in my head,” said Baghdatis, who was sufficiently focused to win the title in Sydney a week before this year’s Australian Open.

“What can I say? I lost a match that I had in my hands. I’m really frustrated. I put him back in the game when I had him on the ground, and I should have kept him there.”

source

Bendy.

The other semifinal saw Mikhail Youzhny – who really is playing scaringly well this year – beat Jurgen Melzer in straight sets. Now he is all that stands between Nole and defending a title for the first time, which would be great, apart from that whole Rotterdam semifinal thing that happened a few weeks ago, which I am choosing to erase from my memory.

All we have to fear is fear itself. And Mikhail Youzhny.

Singles – Semi-finals
[2] N Djokovic (SRB) d M Baghdatis (CYP) 67(2) 63 64
[7] M Youzhny (RUS) d J Melzer (AUT) 75 76(4)

Doubles – Semi-finals
[2] L Dlouhy (CZE) / L Paes (IND) d C Kas (GER) / D Norman (BEL) 26 76(6) 10-7
S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) d F Lopez (ESP) / T Robredo (ESP) 62 36 14-12

This Is How I Like My Semis Served

… Drenched in hotness.

Juan Monaco. Juan Carlos Ferrero. Fernando Gonzalez. David Ferrer. And all on filthy red clay. Acapulco, frankly, has proved to be the sex.

Special props to Boss, notching up his thirteenth straight win and defeating Nicolas Almagro, the two-time champion; and to Juan Monaco, who took out top seed Fernando Verdasco in his biggest win since the same opponent was forced to retire against him in Bastad last year. Semi-finals to come later tonight, and it’s worth nothing that all four semi-finalists will be featuring prominently in Davis Cup ties this time next week.

On the women’s side, Carla Suarez Navarro upset Gisela Dulko but is currently a set down to Polona Hercog, while Venus Williams came *this* close to losing to Laura Pous Tios, ranked over three hundred points below her, but survived to face Edina Gallovits later tonight.

Full Results

Singles – Quarter-finals
[7] J Monaco (ARG) d [1] [WC] F Verdasco (ESP) 75 63
[2] F Gonzalez (CHI) d [Q] E Schwank (ARG) 36 63 75
[3] D Ferrer (ESP) d P Cuevas (URU) 75 64
[4] J Ferrero (ESP) d [6] N Almagro (ESP) 61 57 62

Doubles – Quarter-finals
[1] L Kubot (POL) / O Marach (AUT) d P Cuevas (URU) / F Gonzalez (CHI) 64 62
F Fognini (ITA) / P Starace (ITA) d [2] M Melo (BRA) / B Soares (BRA) 62 36 10-7
J Monaco (ARG) / H Zeballos (ARG) d [WC] S Gonzalez (MEX) / N Massu (CHI) 75 61

Singles – Quarterfinals
(1) Venus Williams (USA) d. (Q) Laura Pous Tio (ESP) 46 63 75
(8) Polona Hercog (SLO) d. (2) Agnes Szavay (HUN) 64 01 ret. (left adductor strain)
(5) Carla Suárez Navarro (ESP) d. (3) Gisela Dulko (ARG) 61 76(4)
Edina Gallovits (ROU) d. Sharon Fichman (CAN) 75 62

Doubles – Quarterfinals
(1) Hlavackova/Hradecka (CZE/CZE) d. (WC) Cirstea/Cornet (ROU/FRA) 57 75 106
(2) Uhlirova/Voracova (CZE/CZE) d. Fichman/Washington (CAN/USA) 75 61
(4) Hercog/Zahlavova Strycova (SLO/CZE) d. Osterloh/Tatishvili (USA/GEO) 75 62

Order of Play

Central Court (from 15.00hrs)
1. Carla Suárez Navarro vs. Polona Hercog
2. ATP: Monaco vs. Ferrero (NB 17.00hrs)
3. Venus Williams vs. Edina Gallovits (NB 19.00hrs)
4. ATP: Ferrer vs. González (NB 21.00hrs)

Cancha 2 (from 15.00hrs)
1. Hlavackova/Hradecka vs. Errani/Vinci
2. ATP: Kubot/Marach vs. Damm/Polasek (NB 17.00hrs)
3. Hercog/Zahlavova Strycova vs. Uhlirova/Voracova
4. ATP: Monaco/Zeballos vs. Fognini/Starace

All Grown Up

Nole talks responsibility (and incidentally calls out Andy Murray, or at least that’s how The Times spins it; Flatman, you stirrer):

Sitting in the same chair 24 hours earlier after losing on the same court, Murray said defeat against Djokovic’s fellow Serb Janko Tisparevic wasn’t the end of the world because events of this nature are an opportunity to experiment and practise different tactics.

Djokovic, Australian Open champion two years ago and No 2 in the world, two spots above Murray, begs to differ. He has been paid the same handsome six-figure sum as a guarantee and enjoyed the luxury of a £2,300-a-night duplex suite at the seven-star Burj al Arab hotel throughout his stay.

But Djokovic also feels a responsibility to give something back to those who reward his stature in the game. “You carry certain responsibility when you are in the world’s top five,” said the player who had to rally from a disastrous start to beat Ivan Ljubicic 2-6,6-4,6-0 but is now only two wins away from retaining the title. “You cannot just go out there and practise. Every tournament is important. That’s the way I accepted every tournament in my professional career.” [...]

“Who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow, so I try to play 100 per cent, and try to win every match I play,” he continued. “I cannot calculate and I cannot experiment. Sometimes maybe you should prioritise some bigger events. But, look we are professionals, and we are here to perform as best as we can.

“There are not just a lot of expectations from ourselves and our people that are surrounding us. It’s about the tournament and people who come to watch.”

Hard to argue with that.

I also loved this:

Things looked bleak as he trailed Ljubicic by a set and faced a couple of break points. A loud voice in the crowd shouted: “Ace him Novak.” Pulling out of his service motion, Djokovic allowed himself a smile and replied: “I wish.”

Oh Nole. You’re so that guy that you find yourself going out on a limb for time and time again and getting disappointed and you don’t even ask yourself any more why you keep trying, because you know that every so often they’ll do something that reminds you and you can live off that moment for weeks.

So that guy.

Have One On Me.

Ladies and gentlemen … the video for Shakira’s song ‘Gypsy’ can be viewed here.

I would love to embed it. But I’m technologically incompetent and I can’t. So just go and watch it, would you?

Christ on a bike, those are two attractive people.

Dubai: Carry On Culling

Not that there were many top seeds left to cull, but sixth seed Marin Cilic was the latest victim of whatever is going on in Dubai, falling to Jurgen Melzer 76(8) 75.

For a while there it looked like Novak Djokovic might join him, but fortunately he fought back against Ivan Ljubicic and ended in fine style, by bagelling him.

Next up for Nole, sole survivor of a field that looked so promising? Marcos Baghdatis, who beat Michael Berrer in straights, while Melzer faces seventh seed and perennial question mark Mikhail Youzhny.

And that is what happened today.

Full results

Singles – Quarter-finals
[2] N Djokovic (SRB) d I Ljubicic (CRO) 26 64 60
J Melzer (AUT) d [6] M Cilic (CRO) 76(8) 75
[7] M Youzhny (RUS) d J Tipsarevic (SRB) 63 64
M Baghdatis (CYP) d M Berrer (GER) 76(5) 61

Doubles – Quarter-finals
[2] L Dlouhy (CZE) / L Paes (IND) d A Clement (FRA) / R Lindstedt (SWE) 76(3) 61
C Kas (GER) / D Norman (BEL) d [4] F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) 64 62
F Lopez (ESP) / T Robredo (ESP) d J Tipsarevic (SRB) / V Troicki (SRB) 63 64

Order of Play

CENTRE COURT start 2:00 pm
J Melzer (AUT) vs [7] M Youzhny (RUS)
F Lopez (ESP) / T Robredo (ESP) vs S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS)
Not Before 7:00 PM
M Baghdatis (CYP) vs [2] N Djokovic (SRB)
C Kas (GER) / D Norman (BEL) vs [2] L Dlouhy (CZE) / L Paes (IND)

Bad Pusher and Brainless Ball-Basher: the Adventure Continues

Sweet article (and accompanying video) on Wozniacki and Azarenka doing kind of a cheesy photoshoot in Dubai …

Asked by an increasingly exasperated photographer and shoot director to act angry, fierce and pull at each other’s jewellery as if they were fighting in front of an audience of surprised duty-free shoppers the two friends collapse into giggles every time they caught sight of the other’s quiff.

“It’s too funny,” Azarenka says as she tries to catch her breath. “It’s hard to act angry off the court. Can we do something like we like each other? At the end?”

It’s fascinating to see the friendships that exist on the ten-month tour. While an outsider might think it’s a lonely, competitive existence where you have more rivals than mates, Wozniacki and Azarenka are quick to dispel that myth.

“It’s a great life we have,” says Danish star Wozniacki. “We play tennis and that’s what I love to do and to be able to live from your hobby is just great.

“I have a lot of friends on the tour, Victoria is one of my best friends. It’s nice to have some good friendships on the tour.”

Azarenka, sitting nearby having her hair styled, shoots back a retort. “We’re friends?” Wozniacki pauses for a moment. “So you’re not one of my good friends?”

“Well, I’m one of yours. But I don’t know if you’re one of mine,” deadpans Azarenka, before they both start to laugh.

Love them together. Read the whole thing.

You Crack Me Up, ATP

Seriously. The stuff they come up with for promotional activities just cracks me up. I can’t help it.

Exhibit A: Shopping with the Davydenkos

Exhibit B: Random ‘celebrities’ from other sports, such as England cricketer Ian Bell, for no adequately explained reason.

Exhibit C: If all else fails, have an unenthusiastic player hold a random animal.

Congratulations! You have now Promoted Your Tournament. With synergy and stuff.

This Is Not the Greatest Lawsuit in the World

This is not even a tribute. Robert Dee, a British man who allegedly plays tennis for a living, is sueing the Daily Telegraph for describing him as ‘the worst tennis pro in the world’.

The offending stories said Dee did not win a single match during his first three years on the professional circuit but finally ended this “dismal run” by beating an unranked 17-year-old in Spain in April 2008. One article, claiming Dee had lost 54 matches in a row, compared him to the ski jumper Eddie “the Eagle” Edwards and Eric the Eel, the Equatorial Guinea swimmer who struggled at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.

Dee argues that the reports suggested “that he unreasonably and unrealistically persists in a career as a professional ­tennis player which is an expensive waste of money and doomed to failure”.

He admits he indeed lost 54 successive matches in international contests, but claims that over the same period he played in professional national tournaments in Spain with “modest success”. To suggest he had suffered “an unrelieved catalogue of failure” was untrue and defamatory.

The Telegraph articles not only ridiculed and embarrassed Dee, but could deter people from employing him as a professional coach, said his barrister, Andrew Caldecott QC.

In court the Telegraph continued to insist that Dee did indeed hold the dubious honour of having had the world’s worst losing run in professional tennis. A Guatemalan player had also lost 54 consecutive matches, but unlike Dee, had once managed to actually win a set, said David Price, for the Telegraph. Dee, on the other hand, lost 108 sets in a row.

source

My favourite part about this story is definitely the fact that John Lloyd, a.k.a the British Davis Cup captain, may be called as a witness by the Telegraph. Because, you know, he’s got nothing better to do this week.

*files under ‘British tennis’*

And Kolya, and Jo …

More pain for the top seeds in Dubai today. Literally, after Kolya was forced to retire with a wrist injury, trailing indistinguishable German Michael Berrer 6-3.

And Jo-Wilfried Tsonga lost to Ivan Ljubicic in straight sets in a match that I’m bloody glad I didn’t watch.

Not all bad news, though. Marin may look like he was constructed out of pipecleaners and wet spaghetti with no particular care taken during the process (and I love it, before the hatemail starts), but he’s holding up surprisingly well despite it, managing to beat Stefan Koubeck in straights; Baggy took care of Somdev Devvarman, and Nole meandered to a victory over compatriot Troicki, 62 in the third.

Serious business.

Not.

Nice nips though.

Full results

Men’s Singles – Second Round
[2] N Djokovic (SRB) d V Troicki (SRB) 36 64 62
J Tipsarevic (SRB) d [3] A Murray (GBR) 76(3) 46 64
M Berrer (GER) d [4] N Davydenko (RUS) 63 ret. (left wrist)
I Ljubicic (CRO) d [5] [WC] J Tsonga (FRA) 75 63
[6] M Cilic (CRO) d [Q] S Koubek (AUT) 62 76(6)
[7] M Youzhny (RUS) d [Q] B Phau (GER) 76(2) 64
J Melzer (AUT) d T Robredo (ESP) 63 75
M Baghdatis (CYP) d [Q] S Devvarman (IND) 63 36 61

Men’s Doubles – Quarter-finals
S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) d [3] M Bhupathi (IND) / M Mirnyi (BLR) 64 64

Men’s Doubles – First Round
F Lopez (ESP) / T Robredo (ESP) d [1] D Nestor (CAN) / N Zimonjic (SRB) 63 36 10-7
A Clement (FRA) / R Lindstedt (SWE) d [WC] R Bopanna (IND) / A Qureshi (PAK) 57 76(5) 10-8
[4] F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK) d [4] N Davydenko (RUS) / I Kunitsyn (RUS) W/O (Davydenko – left wrist)

Order of Play

CENTRE COURT start 2:00 pm
J Melzer (AUT) vs [6] M Cilic (CRO)
J Tipsarevic (SRB) vs [7] M Youzhny (RUS)
Not Before 7:00 PM
I Ljubicic (CRO) vs [2] N Djokovic (SRB)
M Baghdatis (CYP) vs M Berrer (GER)

COURT 3 start 2:00 pm
C Kas (GER) / D Norman (BEL) vs [4] F Cermak (CZE) / M Mertinak (SVK)
A Clement (FRA) / R Lindstedt (SWE) vs [2] L Dlouhy (CZE) / L Paes (IND)
Not Before 5:00 PM
F Lopez (ESP) / T Robredo (ESP) vs J Tipsarevic (SRB) / V Troicki (SRB) – After Suitable Rest